The variables that we ussed to measure Gentrification in the King County area are Percent of White Poppulation, Percent of Population who are 25 years and older who have a Bachelor’s Degree, Percent of Population who are renters, and the Median Home Value. To compare the Gentrification of 2017 with 2009, we create an index that will serve as a baseline for Gentrification / Class Value in each census tract. This is called the Census Tract Area Value in this case.
The reason why we want to create a index that will represent the Census Tract Value is to see how much of the Census Tract has changed from 2009. The difference in Census Tract Values will serve as a measurement of Gentrification.
To create the index to measure the Census Tract Area Value in both years, we converted all our variables to z scores. Converting all our variables to z scores allows us to standardize the variables so that they are comparable to eachother. Then we add the z scores up and divid by 4 to get a composite z score that will represent the Census Tract Value.
This Censuus Tract Area Value can be a measurement of well-being of the tract. To get gentrification we will find the difference of the well-being of each tract!